| Teaching English when you move to Greece seems | | | | Pay and conditions offered by language schools will |
| like an easy option, but what important points should | | | | vary enormously, so it is important to check these out |
| you consider before setting off on this choice of | | | | in detail first before accepting a contract. If time is on |
| career? | | | | your side, it may be worth speaking to several schools |
| The employment situation can be quite uncertain for | | | | rather than taking the first job you are offered. Also, if |
| newcomers to Greece and therefore many people | | | | you work in a frontistirio it is quite likely that you will be |
| choose to try teaching English as a foreign language, | | | | working mainly in the afternoons and evenings, since |
| on a full or part-time basis. It can bring in a good | | | | this is when children and adults are free to take their |
| income whether it is your preferred career choice, or | | | | lessons. |
| you wish to do it short-term until another career choice | | | | Making some extra money |
| pans out. | | | | Many people who teach English as a foreign language |
| Qualifications and Experience | | | | in a school, also do private English on the side and this |
| There are many language schools or frontistiria in | | | | can become a lucrative activity in itself. Working in a |
| Athens and all over Greece, to which you could apply | | | | language school for a few months is a good way to |
| for work. In order to get a job in one of these schools, | | | | meet students and advertise the fact that you do |
| it is still not strictly necessary to have a formal teaching | | | | private English lessons, on a one-to-one basis. It can be |
| qualification such as TEFL (Teaching English as a | | | | difficult to get the first few, but then through word of |
| Foreign Language). Often all that is required is a | | | | mouth, you’ll get more if you do a good job |
| university degree (in any subject) from a UK or US | | | | — that great social network of mums and dads |
| university. That said, if you are uncertain about your | | | | on the school run can work wonders! The University |
| ability to teach English and want to ensure that you | | | | of Cambridge ESOL (English for Speakers of Other |
| start off in this line of work with the necessary skills, a | | | | Languages) exam system seems to be the most |
| course would be useful. It would provide you with | | | | widely known and respected in Greece, many people |
| some teaching theory, knowledge of English grammar | | | | who want to be taught privately are preparing to sit a |
| (let’s face it, many of us have never formally | | | | Cambridge exam or some other type of test. It is |
| studied English grammar in any great depth, even | | | | worth familiarising yourself with the system — |
| though we speak and write English everyday) and | | | | there is an enormous amount of free information on |
| give you some valuable experience of teaching in a | | | | the Internet, including lesson plans, tips, exam practice |
| classroom, since this is included in most courses. When | | | | etc. The exams which are most commonly sat by |
| applying for jobs, you will find vacancies that specify | | | | students are the "First Certificate in English" (which |
| that previous teaching experience is required and | | | | many people still refer to by its old name: "Lower"), |
| others for which no experience is necessary. | | | | "Certificate of Proficiency in English" (known as |
| It does not matter if you do not speak a lot of Greek. | | | | Proficiency), and Certificate in Advanced |
| Native English speakers are often valued for other | | | | English (commonly referred to as Advanced). |
| reasons such as having what is seen as a | | | | More information is available from the Cambridge |
| proper accent. Many people also swear by the | | | | ESOL web site ( |
| approach of not speaking your students’ | | | | What private students will want from you varies a |
| language, so that they hear only English being spoken | | | | great deal. Some may just want a conversation class, |
| for the duration of the lesson. You will find ways to | | | | others may just be starting on the Cambridge |
| make yourself understood. In my experience of | | | | examinations path and there will be some who are |
| language teaching, it can even be counter-productive if | | | | already at a very high level and may need detailed |
| your students know that you speak their language well, | | | | coaching on specific grammar points or on vocabulary |
| because they may be too easily tempted to speak to | | | | for a particular purpose e.g. business English. And given |
| you in Greek when they find it hard going. | | | | these differences, the amount of preparation required |
| Finding work | | | | on your part and the fee per hour you are able to |
| Teaching English as a foreign language jobs are widely | | | | charge will probably vary too. I will finish with a word |
| advertised in newspapers and on the Internet all year | | | | on advertising. My experience has been that I have |
| round and most often from August to October. As | | | | paid out money for two newspaper ads, which got |
| well as applying before in Greece, you can also go to | | | | back zero replies! What has worked well for me is |
| door-to-door around the frontistiria with your CV, again | | | | local advertising - you need to use your imagination. I |
| in the August to October period. If you are visiting them | | | | put a card in local shops and a small notice in the back |
| in person, it is not recommended that you spend time | | | | window of my car and you can see people reading it |
| doing this any earlier than August because the schools | | | | at every traffic light! Just beware of getting calls on |
| often do not consider their recruitment needs much | | | | your mobile phone while you're driving - not good! As I |
| before the beginning of the academic year. | | | | said before, word of mouth should kick in too once |
| Pay and working conditions | | | | you have your first couple of lessons. |